MRSA infections down, Health Protection Agency reports

MRSA infection rates have dropped by 14 per cent, according to figures from the Health Protection Agency.

The latest figures for MRSA bloodstream infections show there were 836 cases reported in England between April and June 2008, representing a 14 per cent decrease on the previous quarter and a 36 reduction from the corresponding quarter of 2007.

Lack of skilled staff is already impacting access and quality of care, and without a shift in workforce policy the situation will worsen over the next decade, warn Anita Charlesworth, Candace Imison and Richard Murray

Chief executive of the Care Quality Commission Ian Trenholm explains the work the regulator is doing to explore potential prosecutions against NHS trusts and how the regulator is seeking to ensure lessons can be learned to drive systemic change.

Financial penalties are being lifted from high-profile standards including cancer and elective waiting times, so far without attracting much attention. How is this happening? And will it work, asks Rob Findlay